Snickerdoodle Muffins ~ Having Breakfast With the Muppets

I feel a tiny bit silly (but not silly enough to keep it to myself, apparently). Growing up, my mom and I always listened to the Muppets Christmas cassette, which featured John Denver. I loved it SO much. So I just bought the album for myself. I couldn’t hold back. I mean, if you haven’t heard Miss Piggy singing the 12 days of Christmas, you’ve really missed out. (Ah, the memories…)

I have played the songs over and over within the last 24 hours. All I can think about while I listen to this is hanging out with my mom while we wrapped presents and made Christmas crafts together during the month of December.

I had all but forgotten the album existed until my sister-in-law texted something about it yesterday. Memories flooded back. Now I can’t stop listening to it. And I can’t stop smiling. You would think that after over 9 years of being without her, I would realize that calling to talk to my mom isn’t an option. But as I listen to this music, I have had to stop myself several times from picking up the phone to dial her number. “Mom!” I want to shout, “Remember our winter nights together? Remember Miss Piggy singing ‘ba-dum-pum-pum’ in the 12 Days of Christmas? Remember how much fun we had? I just got the John Denver Muppets album on CD and I’m listening to it now with the boys, and they love it as much as we did!”

So since I can’t tell her, I’m sharing this with you. Of all my Christmas memories, I have to say listening to this music while preparing for Christmas with my mom might be my favorite memory of all. I really can’t stop smiling. And crying. And laughing (“mee-mee-mee-mee-mee-mee” – you have to know Miss Piggy to get that one).

Here’s a little blast from the past for ya that I found on youtube:

This morning, I turned on the Christmas lights, cranked up the Muppets, and tried a new recipe. These muffins are simple, full of cinnamon, delicious, and perfect for Christmas time. My family and I had breakfast with Miss Piggy, Kermit, and John Denver.

Stir together flour, sucanat, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add egg, butter, sour cream, and milk – stirring until mixture is well combined. Scoop batter into 10-12 paper lined muffin tins. Stir together the sucanat/cinnamon topping. Sprinkle about a 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture onto each muffin. Bake in a 400° oven for 15-20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown.

I can’t seperate memories of Christmas from my mom. She loves Christmas, through and through! My dad was a grump at Christmas, but my mom made Christmas AMAZING for my brother and I! She let us decorate the house with silly homemade things, pick out the biggest tree at the tree farm, and we made fudge and cookies for shut-ins and family till they were coming out of our ears! I live in NY, and my mom is down in GA with my brother as he and his wife just had their first baby and she is helpingo out. It’s my first Christmas season without having her practically by my side, but your post reminded me (as I read through tears), that memories are almost as good as the real thing! When I was probably 7 or 8, my mom let me spend some of my money on a Christmas tape at True Value called, “Home for the Holiday.” My favorite song is “Happy Holidays” by Alabama, http://youtu.be/pA7dscKNlTQ. I loved that tape and played it over and over! Now, many moons later, I still put that tape in every year (one plus of an older vehicle that still has a cassette deck), and it floods back wonderful childhood memories. I only hope that someday my sweet kids, ages 8 and 10 remember me with such fond memories as I have with my mom at Christmas. Sounds like the Muppets Christmas needs to go on my shopping list this week! Thank you Laura, I needed this today:)

Last year I googled the Muppets 12 Days of Christmas for my kids to hear. What a hoot! Brought back soooo many wonderful memories. I still have the Chipmunks Christmas album (and still have a record player) so we get that one out to listen to. Always a good thing to have some of the good, clean oldies to share with the younger generation. May need to find The Muppets Christmas so we can watch the whole program.

Oh man! I haven’t heard this album, but I’m totally looking for it this year! Also, thanks for the recipe! My two-year-old and I just put a batch in the oven and they smell DELICIOUS and just like Christmas as promised. :)

I lost my mom just over two years ago. Reading this made me laugh and cry at the same time. We were the best of friends and I have so many sweet memories with her, especially from this time of year. The two of us always decorated our tree together and took our time reminiscing and talking about all the ornaments. Most of them came from all the ornament exchanges the ladies in my family would have each year. We would also take at least one day and bake up a storm. She always so willing, and happy, to have my help in the kitchen and to let me pick out new things to try. Plus of course teaching me all the family favorites.

My children are still quite young (I am only 26) and I hope I can make this time of year just as special for them growing up as she did for me. Thanks for sharing these memories. It is so sweet to read and do some remembering of my own.

I just knew you were a super great person, but now this just confirms it :)
This has been one of our very most favorite Christmas albums since the year it came out. We have gone through 2 cassettes and at least 3 CD’s, because we listened to them so many times. We still listen to it, a lot, sometimes not just at Christmas either :) It’s nice to know I am not the only one that is a fan of John Denver and The Muppets, it is just happiness and joy and love all wrapped up in some fun too :) :) :)

These are so yummy, even my kids liked them. They haven’t taken to too many muffins I’ve made, I think living in Phoenix makes for dry muffins and I haven’t mastered the art of making them more moist. But not these, super moist! And now we’ve discovered that my husband really needs to be gluten free :( I’m going to try these with a gluten free baking mix and maybe even get creative with a coconut flour version.